The container or tote of this invention is particularly useful in select fishing, that is, knowing what type of fishing the user will be doing and knowing what kind of lures to use and have ready to use. It is known to use various devices for storing items that require easy retrieval. In most fishing lure containers, the lures stored therein become entangled and generally are difficult to retrieve without some degree of obstruction. Also, lures of different sizes become mixed and are not easily segregated one from the other. In addition, there are few devices, if any, where the lure is easily viewed before selection and subsequently conveniently removed.
In parent application Ser. No. 07/220,837 a fishing lure container is described constructed of a transparent case having two distinct compartments positioned one above the other. Each of these compartments contains a single or double circle of transparent tubes. Each tube has an upper open end that forms the exit part for a lure. Planar caps are positioned on each end of the lure container, each cap having apertures that can be aligned with each tube for inserting and removing lures from the apertures. In this parent application, a lure container that is transparent and utilizes tubular housings for the lures is disclosed. In use, this parent application container involves turning the cap until the aperture in the cap is aligned with the entrance of the tube, then the lure is merely taken from the container or the container is turned upside down and the lure removed. In lieu of turning the container upside down, the tube can be removed and the lure taken from it.
The subject of the present application improves upon the device of the parent application in that an easier access is permitted by the present device. Also, the user can merely reach in with fingers to select lure without turning container upside down. In addition, because of its compactness, the container of this invention takes up less space. In all of the prior art discussed in parent application 07/220,837 a variety of containers is disclosed. Each of these prior art containers provided very limited capacity, and relatively difficult retrieval. These prior art multicompartment containers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,817,562; 2,903,127; 3,358,818; 4,164,301; 4,261,468 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,006. None of these prior art containers provided a lure container having a relatively large storage capacity, a container that permits visual observation of the contained lures, and easy immediate access to them.